Doc calls for cultural shift

A VETERAN Royal Hobart Hospital emergency department specialist has called on senior colleagues to examine how they can personally improve issues at the overflowing facility — including working after-hours to relieve pressure on junior staff.

Dr Geoff Couser has written in Talking Point in today’s Mercury that the RHH community should take ownership of the challenges instead of continually calling on the Government or Health Department to “fix things from above”.

“A number of changes challenging longstanding cultural practices and attitudes could be rapidly implemented which would lead to marked improvements to the functioning of the RHH and hence the wellbeing of patients,” Dr Couser said.

“In some inpatient units, the management of patients after hours is left to junior staff who are often overwhelmed by the sheer number and complexities of patients.”

Health Minister Michael Ferguson will today meet RHH leaders, Health Department secretary Michael Pervan, emergency department staff, unions and representatives from Labor and the Greens to discuss how to combat bed block at the RHH.

A discussion paper prepared in advance of the meeting points to growth in the demand and complexity of patients as leading to issues at the stretched facility.

According to the paper, mental health emergency department presentations rose more than 30 per cent in five years, from 2759 in 2013-14 to 3604 in 2017-18.

Growth in junior medical staff outstripped growth in senior staff, the paper said.

Mr Ferguson said today’s meeting was about finding practical solutions the Government would implement.

Australian Medical Association spokesman Frank Nicklason said staff saw this as a “chance to listen, learn and to contribute solutions”.